BMW’s next-gen sport sedan lineup is about to split enthusiasts in two. In just over a year, we’ll see something we never thought we’d say again: a brand-new BMW i3 (if we exclude the China-only i3 Sedan). Only this time, it’s not a quirky carbon-bodied hatchback — it’s a full-blown sport sedan built on the Neue Klasse platform. And while BMW’s next-generation G50 3 Series , and its top model M350, will carry the torch for the straight-six faithful, I can’t help but feel the electric i3 M60 might be the one to define where the brand is headed next.
Still, this isn’t a simple “EV good, ICE bad” debate. Both cars represent two sides of BMW’s soul — and choosing between them won’t be easy. For some people.
The Case for the i3 M60: Speed, Silence, and Smarts
Let’s start with the new kid. The rumored i3 M60 (BMW has yet to confirm its M Performance EV) isn’t just another electric sedan with a roundel on the hood — it’s the first of BMW’s Neue Klasse sedans, the same architecture that’ll underpin everything from the iX3 to the future M3 EV. That means this isn’t a flexible platform; it’s BMW engineering electrification from the ground up which has plenty of benefits.
Power? Think at least 600 horsepower from dual motors. That’s comfortably more than the rumored 415 hp expected from the M350, and likely enough to make the i3 one of the quickest non-M cars BMW has ever built. Range estimates go as high as 900 km (559 miles) on the WLTP cycle, thanks to BMW’s new Gen6 cells, which also cut charging times dramatically — around 370 km (230 miles) WLTP added in just ten minutes at 400 kW.
In short, it’s the kind of performance that doesn’t just beat the M350 — it blows past it.
But numbers only tell half the story. What really matters here is the Neue Klasse platform and BMW’s Heart of Joy supercomputer — the system that fuses powertrain, chassis, and steering into one predictive control brain. Having driven the iX3 prototype with that setup, I can tell you: it feels more natural, more connected, and more… BMW than any EV they’ve built before.
In the i3 sedan, lower weight, better balance, and instant torque could make it sharper and more responsive than the M350 — an irony, considering the electric one will also be the heavier car.
Bigger Interior Space
And then there’s practicality. The i3’s packaging advantage over CLAR-based models will be obvious the moment you step inside — flat floor, better rear space, and even a frunk for good measure. It’s the easier daily driver: no cold starts, no fuel stops, no guilt creeping through traffic. For short trips and city commutes, the i3 simply makes sense.
Still, the silence that makes it so refined also could make it… less alive. That’s where the M350 fights back.
The Case for the M350: Emotion Never Dies
The M350 could be the end of an era (even though that’s still up in the air with regulators) — a proper send-off for the internal combustion 3 Series. Beneath the hood lives the B58, arguably one of the finest engines BMW has ever built. Smooth, powerful, and reliable, it’ll push out around 415 horsepower and 580 Nm of torque, paired with BMW’s familiar ZF eight-speed automatic. No plug, no waiting — just press start and go.
And yes, it should still sounds fantastic. BMW’s decision to give it quad exhausts and M-inspired styling tells you exactly who this car is for. It’s for the person who values sound, feel, and mechanical connection more than lap times or kilowatts. It’ll likely weigh less than the i3, making it more playful and eager in corners. If the i3 promises tech precision, the M350 could be analog joy.
Of course, that comes with trade-offs. The M350 will drink more fuel, cost more to run, and maybe it won’t be welcome in every city center five years from now. Inside, it’ll probably feel tighter and less airy than the Neue Klasse i3. But there’s still something inherently satisfying about firing up a straight-six and hearing it come alive — something that no EV, no matter how quick, can replace.
Two Sides of BMW’s DNA
So which would I buy?
Honestly, probably the i3 M60. It’s the kind of car that represents everything BMW has learned in the past decade — precision engineering, technology that feels invisible, and performance that borders on absurd. It should be very fast, effortless to drive, and finally, an EV with a very unique styling as well.
But the M350 speaks to a different part of me — the one that still thinks a BMW should make noise, shift gears, and feel alive under load. It’ll probably be the more emotional car, and for many, that alone will make it the right choice.
Either way, BMW wins — because both prove that driving pleasure could come in many forms.
